Surgical instrument



Nov. 1.7, 1925. 1,5 1,927

S. HRANKOWSKY SURGICAL INS TRUMENT Filed July 1 1923 Patented Nov. 17, 1925. v i

" U N] TED rsinmumu inasivxowsxr; or- "DETBOIRWMIGHIGAN.

\ summer INSTRUMENT.

Application filed July 18,

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known-that I, STEPHENHRANKOW- SKY, a citizen of. Canada, residing at 'Detroit, in the county of Wayne and State of 5 Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Surgical Instruments, of which the following is a 'specification.

The present-invention is .a' device .to con:

'rect the functioning of the ear by softening and removing :the' :earwax therefrom.

lVhen earwax is not removed frequently from .the ear it :collects .in .large 7 quantities in the auditory canal and being exposed to the atmosphere it dries and --.hardens. this state it is extremely difficult to remove without exposing the ear "to injury. great many ear ailments are caused by neglect to remove the earwax while it is still in a soft state, and therefore the main object of the present invention is to provide a device by means of which the earwax may be softened and then easily removed.

A further object of the invention is to provide an instrument which will partially remove the earwax.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a device of this character which is inexpensive to manufacture and which is of very simple construction.

On the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals denote corresponding parts throughout the several views,

Figure 1 is a plan view illustrating the manner of constructing the present invention;

Figure 2 is a plan view of the device substantially completed;

Figure 3 is a cross sectional View taken on line IIIIII of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a cross sectional view similar to Figure 3, and

Figure '5 is a view similar to that shown in Figure 3, but here the device has passed the final stage of its making.

Referring more in detail to the drawing there is shown a tapering mandrel 10, having a large end 11 and a small end 12. A tape 13 of any suitable material which is subject to easy combustion, such as linen or paper, is wound spirally upon said mandrel, by which operation a tapered tube 14 is produced, which tube corresponds to the shape of mandrel 10, While said tape still remains .upon said mandrel the end portions may be ,sfifllllfidy t tches 15 to 1923'. Serial ITO- 652,346.

aid in retaining the same in the'tubular formation, said stitches 'being'ma'de in the adjacent sides of tape 13. 'Thereupon the tube,- w'liileit still'remains uponth'e mandrel 10, is-dipped into a molten par'afiin or candle wax, which will form alayeraround the tube as indicated :by the numeral .16.

After the para'flin or *wax has cooledand hardened the tube may be "easilymemoved from the mandrel 10.

g It is noted that the .reason for stitching the sides of the tapewhile still in "spiral formation on the mandrel is to; prevent 'the' tape from unwindingpreparatory to dippin' the tube into molten wax 'orparaf fin. his also may bea'ccompl-ish'ed by A temporarily retaining the ends of the tape in their proper position by passing pins therethrough.

Referring .to the use of the present invention, the ear should be moistened by dropping a small amount of water into its auditory canal. Thereupon the tube with its narrower end is inserted into the auditory canal and the wider end is ignited which will cause the tube to burn. Care must be taken to properly position the head of the patient while he undergoes this operation. The head in upright walking position will prevent the flames and melting parafiin or wax from touching the body of the patient.

In the first stages during the burning of the tube the temperature of the air in the tube will be considerably increased and the heated air will act upon the moistened earwax and will soften it to a great extent. -When the combustion of the tube continues a vacuum will be created in the tube, which by suction will act upon the softened earwax and will partially draw it into the tube.

It has been found that to obtain the best results the length of thetube should be apby the burning of the tube will be of suiiicient force to withdraw all of the softened earwax, consequently upon completion of the above described Operation there still will remain in the ear" a small portion of the earwaX, which will be in a soft state. This unremoved wax then may be easily withdrawn by any suitable instrument.

It is noted that the purpose or" coating the tube with wax or paraffin is twofold, namely to make the fabric impervious to the air so that a vacuum may be more readily created while the tube burns, and further to cause more ready combustion oi": the fabric tube.

lVhile there is herein shown and described the preferred embodiment of the present invention, it is nevertheless to be understood that minor changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

WVhat is claimed is 1. In a device for treating the ear, a hollow conical tube formed by spirally winding a strip of material, said strip being initially rectangular in plan view and having parallel sides and ends, the strip being formed of material having the inherent quality of being porous and pervious to air to promote natural combustion thereo f, and a solid layer of wax material applied to the outer surface of said tube for preventing the pas sage of air through the wall thereof during combustion.

2. In a device for treating the car, a hollow conical tube formed by spirally wind.- ing a strip of material, said strip being initially rectangular in plan view and having parallel sides and ends, the strip being formed of material having the inherent quality of being porous and pervious to air to promote natural combustion theree l1 and a solid layer of wax material applied to the outer surface of said tube for preventing the passage of air through the wall thereof during combustion, the convolutions of the spirally wound tube being permanently secured together prior to the coating with wax to hold the tube in Wound condition.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

STEPHEN HRANKOVSKY. 

